Founded in Spain by KIko Arguello for gypsies in the 1960s, people rejected from normal parish communities to give them an experience of the wealth of the Church’s liturgical life, which explored in an eight-year cycle the meaning and implications of Baptism. The neo-catechumenal way is a journey of gestation, conversion and Christian initiation. This gradual and intenstive re-evangelisation is carried out in small communities by way of catechesis, liturgical celebrations, scrutinies, sacramental signs and convivences, reminiscent of the catecheumenate in the early Church. The aim is to enliven the preaching of the Gospel, continuing religious education of adults and to re-live the Baptism they have received, through various stages of the way.
It spread its wings to Sabah in 1980 when a team of three itinerant catechists from Spain and Italy gave a series of talks at the Sacred Heart Parish at the invitation of Fr Tobias Chi with the consent of Bishop Simon Fung. The first Neo-Catechumenal Community was formed on 7 Sept 1980 and today there are 20 such communities in the archdiocese: Kota Kinabalu (5), Dontozidon (2), Kepayan (6), Papar (1), Ranau (1)) and Tuaran (5).
Sacred Heart Neo-Catechumenal Community KK
Responsible: Edward Muthu
Tel: 012-8035115
St Paul Neo-Catechumenal Community Dontozidon
Responsible: Andrew Richard
Tel: 013-8671124
St Thomas Neo-Catechumenal Community Kepayan
Responsible: Freddy Liankim
Tel: 088-714538 (R)
St Peter Claver Neo-Catechumenal Community Ranau
Responsible: John Saigol
Tel: 012-8333112
St Joseph Neo-Catechumenal Community Papar
Responsible: Peter John
St Mary Neo-Catechumenal Community Sandakan
Responsible: Thomas Tsen
St John Neo-Catechumenal Community Tuaran
Responsible: Waky Taim
Tel: 013-8653112